The Dumb Waiter

I couldn't look away

This show was funny at times and intense at others. I loved the push and pull. The physical comedy was awesome. It's really challenging to pull off the "straight man" & "crazy" one dynamic, but I think they succeeded with flying colors :) Loved the subtle nod to longtime fans 🧶 You don't wanna miss this piece of art

Noice

The Dumb Waiter was in fact not dumb. Saw this show bootlegged on YouTube years ago and enjoyed it. I enjoyed this version even more 😱 Top notch performances. The natural dialouge mixed w the sometimes unnatural movements somehow made perfect sense. Mostly simple lighting, but when specials were used it was used with purpose and to great effect. If you like weird stuff go see this. If you don't like weird stuff still consider seeing it.

Vibrant, Quiet, Gripping!!!

Jackdonkey always takes big swings, and this play is no exception. It’s a challenging, riveting surrealist takedown of exploitative capitalism that is brought to life with a remarkably strong aesthetic. The performances are each physically bold and dynamic, directed into a remarkably rich world brought to life with just two stools. It’s a stark minimalism that allows each actor to shine and the aesthetic to breathe gorgeously into the infamous Pinter-pauses. Strap in for a funny, beautiful, poignant and delightfully red world that will leave you with plenty to ponder after you leave the theater.

Stunning Images

I have never seen The Dumb Waiter, nor do I find myself reading or watching this work often, but the visual experience of this show was a sight to see. From the stillness, to the movement, to the pace. It all came together in what felt like a thriller until the end. Would love to have seen this without front door of the theater opening and closing throughout the show, but hey! It's fringe.

Complete entertainment!

Gripping and intense. I jumped out of my seat when the dumb waiter first moved! I was so engrossed and absorbed in the …“What a mess…” bit. This play goes from absurd to dark on a dime. And gratefully some comedic reprieve in between. Fantastic acting. Bravo!

A Classic, Well Done

An excellent introduction to Harold Pinter, one of last century's most important playwrights.

BEST Pinter I Have EVER Seen (silence)

I'm not a fringe fest person. I simply saw this production was happening and went. I have watched the works of Pinter for 30 years. Chicago, Europe, NYC. From the direction to the performance to the space. This was the absolute best production of Pinter's work I have ever seen. All performed with two stools and no set. The use of space is incredible and flows with a smoothness that is hard to imagine being recreated the same way each night. With the actors bringing you into the world immediately upon entering the house, something must be said about putting a script like this in the right director's hands. This is a story you don't want to let run away from it's depth, and the group succeeded. Props to executing something of this volume.

GOTTA HAVE IT

Absolutely loved it. It’s the beez kneez

Come for the Dumb waiter, stay for the absurdity

I've loved every Jackdonkey production I've seen and this is no exception. Palpable tension! Top rate performers with their stunning take on the characters. The director is to be commended for tackling this weird little gem.

Purgatory and classism!!

A very thoughtful commentary on classism that felt like the characters were stuck in a purgatory and had wandered in these circles many times before, and doomed to continue doing it. I thought both actors involved fully immersed themselves into the play and served a higher purpose in the story, which helped deliver the underlying meaning and thoughtfulness under absurd dialogue and scenarios. The entire audience seemed on the edge of their seats the whole time. Great moments of levity interspersed with tension, and it definitely leaves you thinking. Also—absolutely wonderful lighting design!

Always great!

If you're a Pinter fan you will love this interpretation. If you're not a Pinter fan, but you love good theater, you will still love this show. Jackdonkey knows how to put good people together to do good work. These actors effortlessly fill the space and it was a pleasure to watch.

Speaking loudly while saying nothing

There was something peculiar incredibly present within this show for it's entire journey. The silence at times was almost deafening in moments where you could pick out anything in the room. This seemed to radiate throughout the audience. One of the most compelling Fringe shows I have seen in recent memory after seeing this company do more new/dance work at fringe.

Perfect

Wow! Exhilarating performance for both actors. One of the best shows of the year that I've seen. Bravo!

Superb acting and beyond absurdist play

These two actors completely owned the stage from the minute the doors opened when they were just sitting there. That in itself is a sight to behold. But, if you aren't familiar with Pinter (I wasn't though he did win a Nobel prize) or absurdist works, be sure you are prepared for the, well, absurdity.

Adequate Production of the Pinter Script

With an already hyper-stylized script, you don't need to make stylized choices for the actors. One of the actors is delivering all of his lines as realistic, then the other is directed to do all of this weird movement and odd delivery of dialogue. If delivered realistically, this already odd script will be humorous with a strange sense of menace, which all of Pinter's scripts call for. I felt no menace, and then felt blah at the end of the play.

Perfect!

This was just perfection! No notes! Five fluffy Maine Coone kitties!

Fringe's FINEST!

Jackdonkey Productions is back with another hit! The Dumb Waiter is beautifully crafted, Christensen's direction sets up his acting duo for total comedic success. The show is well paced, well balanced, and a standout text-based performance. Frank's versatility creates his most interesting performance yet, and Schiro grabs--and keeps!--the audience's interest as a demanding and rounded performance as the senior partner. I am excited to see what they come up with next.

Light the Kettle

I really enjoyed The Dumb Waiter! I was on the edge of my seat, but found time to laugh. I had no idea what was going to happen next. I highly recommend! Congrats to the team ~

A wonderful, fully realized production.

This was such a great production of this fascinating Pinter play. The acting, the use of movement, the lighting and sound — everything works. The absurdity and the dread are sharply and effectively depicted. A++

Riveting

I had never seen a Pinter piece before, and I definitely will try to more in the future. This production had me glued to the stage from start to end. This is a must see.

Satisfyingly absurd

Great acting and use of Open Eye's stage. Suspenseful, funny, and an hour well spent at the Fringe.

Very Well Done

This show was very faithful to Pinter's script, include Pinter's detailed stage directions. I enjoyed seeing the show, never having seen this particular Pinter play.

Pinter Perfect

It’s wonderful to see such a challenging text staged by a talented director who knows how to cast a show. These two actors were completely up for the task at hand, creating characters that were compelling, humorous, and thought provoking.

Delightful and so well executed

I LOVED this show. It's my first time seeing a Pinter play, and it was expertly acted by both Dominic Schiro and Robert Frank - their dynamic was so specific and playful, the play was well staged and directed and made for a really enjoyable time. I laughed so hard and was with the two actors the full time. Strongly recommend!

My First Foray Into Pinter

If you love absurd comedies, this is probably the play for you. Though it’s a bit hard follow (as it usually goes with surrealism), the stellar performances more than make up for it. All in all, The Dumb Waiter was an enjoyable farce about power dynamics with impeccable comedic timing. Not a way to spend a Friday night.

Fried Bread Is Nice

This is a lovely production of one of my favorite plays. I did wonder a bit about the titular dumb waiter being a trap door but they made it work. This is one of the better shows at Fringe and I give it the full comliment of kitties in purr formation.

Another Bold Work from Jackdonkey

The Dumb Waiter was phenomenal in every aspect. Aside from a suspenseful story, the actors, the lighting, the colors, and general aesthetic come together for a memorable hour of theatre. There is an attention to detail with these guys that always shows regardless of what I do or don’t understand in their work. Excited to see what is next.

Some of the finest acting I’ve ever seen

I’ve seen a lot of shows over the years, and this is a masterclass in acting. A highly original script with remarkable work from the two actors. Their chemistry brings the work together in a way that creates immense tension. Silent moments spoke volumes, and the audience was literally on the edge of their seats the whole time. 5/5 100% yes

great work team

great stage direction great acting excellent work

Get away! Incredible!

Love a show that makes me laugh just from the actors' facial expressions and pointed ennunciations. Recommend sitting in the front row so you can receive the full experience! Great use of the trapdoor. Ending left me scratching my head a bit, but in a 'still thinking and talking about it' way

I didn’t know what was happening and I liked it

Never disappointed by a JackDonkey show. Atmospheric and thrilling

Yes yes yes

A strange and fascinating script done justice by its actors. It was also perfectly fit into the space which is tricky to do at fringe! Would sit and be wonderfully confused at again.

Slay

I enjoyed this show, I thought the physical comedy was really funny and enjoyed the commentary on the working class. Loved the dramatic dumb waiter drops!!

Fascinating

The use of silence was so clever. The actors had an amazing relationship. Surprise ending is always a treat so funny at times. Well done!

loved it

so good, such good acting we enjoyed it

A Compelling Timeloop!

As with all Jackdonkey productions, there is something unmistakably compelling about the stage pictures presented and The Dumb Waiter is no exception. For this show, those pictures create a caged, tight space with which we're forced into. The use of routines and repetitive movements to open the trap door for every order and the grid-like walking of the space serve to create a tense and pressurized environment, where we wait in an endless timeloop with the characters, desperate for their next job which in and of itself, seems to have cyclical and repeated routine, too. We spiral with them and their endless, repeated routines — a must-watch in your Fringe festival viewings!

Beautifully acted

This was professional level acting. Bravo!

Witty and Worth the Watch!

I enjoyed this show! The dialogue was very fast and the accents were heavy. However, I grew up with Brummies and I still struggled to de-code the accents. It may have been the accents. It may have been the pace, it may have been my hearing. I love dry British humor! I enjoyed the banter! Ultimately, I found the ending confusing and a bit rushed. I couldn't tell if this was on purpose or by happenstance.

Fringe Favorite

A big reason to go to Fringe is to see what a few companies are doing each year and JackDonkey is always one of them. This is my first time seeing them do a published script, and the elements of their work shine in such a unique context. From the opening as the audience enters, to the final scene on stage. A must-see for 2024.

Very fun!

A very suspenseful, but funny show that will keep you interested until the very end

challenging script brought to life

pinter can be brutal and this group manages to make it entertaining.

Excellent pacing & direction

There’s a wonderful tension that Pinter builds throughout the script, and the skillful direction brings it out very well. I could sense the growing unease in the room throughout the play as the threat of something unknown but inevitable looms over the characters. The actors both brought subtle but specific choices in their physicality, but the accent work was a little difficult to understand in a few places. I figure the choice to put the dumbwaiter in the floor rather than a wall was a response to the limitations of a Fringe show and the convenience of Open Eye’s trap door, but it became surprisingly more menacing that way than in any other staging I’ve seen, as if it tapped into some primal fear of things coming out from underground that’s more potent than a fear of things coming from within a wall. Considering it’s basically the title character of the play, I did want just a little more detail given to the sound of the dumbwaiter.

Entertaining and great performances

Luv Jackdonkey

Fabulous work! Saw it opening night & the actors were so present & worked together very well. I was very invested, even during the silences.

Well Worth the Wait

Usually when you think of “risk-taking” in Fringe the mind goes to some over-the-top element or mechanic but JackDonkey made a big gamble in the opposite direction with a very measured, patient show heavy with silence. It pays off through the power of the performances and staging. Dumb Waiter should be instructive to aspiring companies its possible to be innovative without breaking the bank on props

Loved it!!

So funny and thought-provoking, highly recommend!

Wonderful physical feat

Robert was an absolute treat with the specificity of the physical world his the work. The trap door lived as a character in its own. Show as a whole was deliberate and juicy. Great job.

Creatively Engaging

So creative! 2 actors owning the stage. I enjoyed the suspense, the humor, collaboration and the story. It was so good! I mean so well done. A treat from Fringe.

Great Acting!

Hilarious delivery and wonderfully creative direction! Another great job from jackdonkey :)

Wonderful!

Superb acting, and excellent and intentional direction. Minimal set and costumes did the script service. Perfect night of theater.

Didn't get it